The wind energy
One of our sustainable development strategy pillars through renewable sources is wind energy. Just as it was for hydroelectric, Edison was a pioneer in Italy also in seizing the wind sector potential, building the first single-blade wind farms. Today, thanks to our important expertise and know-how, Edison is the second largest operator in Italy with 1100 MW of installed capacity mainly in Southern Italy. We are an integrated operator along the wind power chain with activities ranging from production to plant management and maintenance until energy sale.
Twenty years of commitment
Since 1999 we are active in the wind energy sector with the very first subsidiary of Edison Group with the mission of power generation from wind farms.
In the end 2014 we fostered our commitment by founding E2i energie speciali, in partnership with national F2i – Fondi Italiani per le infrastrutture with the aim of increasing the Group’s presence in the wind power sector thanks to new business acquisitions and revamping operations of energy plants already existing.
At present the Group aims at playing a leading role in energy transition through the progressive disposal of non-core assets and enhancement of renewable energy production.
The agreement signed with F2i – Fondi Italiani per le infrastrutture evolved into the acquisition of 70% of E2i shares in 2021.
The startup of new power plants
2019 marks the connection of eight wind power plants to the national grid by the acquisition of an overall capacity of 165 MW at a competitive auction taking place in end 2016.
The eight wind plants are located in the following Italian regions: Abruzzo (in Castiglione Messer Marino and Schiavi d’Abruzzo in the Chieti province), Basilicata (two wind plants in the Potenza province), Campania (in San Giorgio La Molara and Montefalcone, in the Benevento province), Apulia (in Troia, Foggia province) as well as Sicily (in Mazara del Vallo, Trapani province).
How a wind plant works
In short, a wind power plant is an array of windmills installed in a given territory, which are interconnected by electric grids and access roads. A wind plant produces power by exploiting wind craft.
1. Windmills
What are they?
Their structure is simple: a steel tower holding on top a capsule containing a multiplier, a power generator, and a transformer. At the end of the driveshaft lies a rotor composed by a hub holding the mill’s rotorblades.
2. Windmills
How are they installed?
Each windmill requires the construction of a reinforced concrete plinth composing the tower. Each tower is secured by bolts in stainless steel at the base.
3. Electric power production
Electric power is produced in low voltage and transferred into the internal control framework and power transformer to be converted into medium-voltage power.
4. Monitoring and control in a windfarm
Each windmill is fitted with an internal monitoring system transferring operative data to a local plant monitoring system.
All data are collected by a plant operative unit and transferred to an overall operational center managing windmills maintenance directly or through third companies.
For further information on technical aspects of windfarms and their functioning
Rules and regulations
The regulatory framework in which the Group operates is included between the EU legislation i.e., directives, regulations, and decisions as well as national and local legislation through laws and decrees.
Questions concerning authorizations and the planning of local territories are exercised by the national government along with the regional councils. Moreover, national technical bodies (i.e. Autorità per l’Energia Elettrica, il Gas e il Sistema Idrico) are entitled to manage the assignment of incentives and to regulate on specific technical issues concerning the national energy sector.
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Fight against climate change: our goals for a sustainable energy future
By 2030, we want to increase the production of electricity from renewable sources reaching 40% and to reduce the specific CO2 emissions of our electricity generation park to 0.26 kg / kWh.